During a recent visit to Nike HQ, original speedster Ronaldo received a pair of golden Mercurial football boots in honour of his winning career and help in developing the fastest boot on the planet! From his very first Mercurial to his last, Fenomeno's legacy lives on!
Throughout his career Ronaldo's speed, skill and strength conquered the planet. Opponents feared him, fans adored him and records fell before him. To honour the player who first struck fear into opponents when hearing the name 'Ronaldo', Nike have crafted these Special Edition Gold Nike Mercurial R9 football boots.
It was in 1998 football was introduced to a boot that would forever change the game, as Ronaldo introduced his new weapon in speed - the very first Mercurial. Using the biggest stage in world football to announce the arrival of the new Nike Mercurial football boots, Ronaldo's Silver/Blue/Yellow Mercurials created an impact that rippled to all four corners of the globe.
Fast forward to Monday 14th February 2011, a day that goes down in football history as the day one of the world's greatest players retired from the sport. Brazilian legend Ronaldo had decided to call time on his illustrious career at the age of 34. His name was already cemented in football history and his name will forever be remembered amongst football's all-time greats, so it's fitting that Nike have honoured their most valuable asset, R9, with a Special Edition pair of the boots that started them on their road to football domination.
Ronaldo's legacy continues to inspire the next generation of not just Brazilian stars, but all speedsters and forwards. His career was driven by a simple motivation: playing football. Emulated by millions and matched by none. Quite simply there will forever be one Il Fenomeno, and these football boots are a great reminder of his legacy.
A fitting tribute to one of the greatest players to grace the game, and the pioneer of the Mercurial range, what do you think of Ronaldo's Gold R9 Mercurial football boots? Have your say and join the conversations with the SoccerBible community online, on Twitter and on Facebook.